I recently realized, as my daughter pointed out, that she and I are reaching milestone ages in 2016. She will be the all-important 21 in February, and I will turn half a century (50, for those who'd rather not do the math) in August. I told her I planned it that way, but I'm pretty sure she didn't believe me! Not sure I believed me, either! But, accidental or not, that's pretty cool, right?!
SHE keeps me updated with how many days until she turns twenty-one and all the things she'll get do do now. Funny how I don't seem to have the count down to fifty going! I will do my best to embrace the BIG 5-0 with grace and amusement. All the while, I'm sure I'll be wondering what kind of 21 year old things she's doing back east in NY at college.
On the plus side, she will now be old enough to add to my champagne and scotch collection on Mother's Day and my birthday and Christmas. We are a family that admittedly likes our alcohol, so gift giving for the whole clan just became easier for her!
As I approach 50, I try to focus on all the great people who hit their stride in life and careers at 'an older age' and hope I can be on that list someday. I do still remember when I turned 21 (all those years ago!), and the perceived attainment of 'adulthood' at long last. At this point, I still don't always feel 'grown-up,' so maybe those 21-49 years have been more like on-the-job training for being an adult! And in only 15 short years, unless that changes, I may qualify for senior citizen discounts! Yee-haw!
Age really (well, mostly) is just a number, though, right? A state of mind? A chronological acquisition of experience and expectation? Of course, there are legal attachments to certain ages - the right to vote, to purchase and consume alcohol, to drive, to work, to be POTUS, to receive medicare and Social Security, to this and that. All those other ages are seemingly insignificant (except maybe the ones ending in zero and five!). ALL birthdays deserve recognition and celebration, though. NEVER take a birthday for granted, my friends!
So moving onward, we go bravely into these new ages! She with a snese of adventure and empowerment, me with a sense of adventure and new found optimism. And if today, or tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow is your birthday - well then - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!
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